<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>One Step Closer by Captain_Ameriyeah</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24420358">One Step Closer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Ameriyeah/pseuds/Captain_Ameriyeah'>Captain_Ameriyeah</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Song Fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Established Relationship, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, POV Alternating, Song fic, based on "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri, but light!, i swear there's not much, low-key fix-it fic, mainly just soft, sequel to "I Can't Wait 'Til Then", sorry I am horrible with tags</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:40:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24420358</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Ameriyeah/pseuds/Captain_Ameriyeah</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The sequel to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23511157">I Can't Wait 'Til Then</a>. </p>
<p>Illya finally watches Napoleon take the first step.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Illya Kuryakin/Napoleon Solo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Song Fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1691707</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One Step Closer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey folks! I know it took me a hot second to post another fic to this series, but here she is, and a sequel no less! I didn't want to leave the first fic hanging by itself, so I figured I'd find a good song, and make a sequel to the same tune, and I finally settled on one. </p>
<p>Please listen to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtOvBOTyX00">A Thousand Years</a> by Christina Perri for this one - I think it really does wrap up the first fic quite nicely, and should be quite the fix-it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Napoleon’s heart beat a fast, staccato rhythm in his chest that only crescendoed as he approached the nondescript New York apartment building. His mind was flooded with memories of diners and long drives, punctuated with sea-blue eyes and endless green forests, and his own words rang in his ears: “But I know soon we’ll be together. And I can’t wait ‘til then.” They sounded like a promise, even to his thief’s ears, one that even he could not deny. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The promise in his own words halted him in his place, the spring breeze biting in a way that promised that the last thralls of winter were not over. How could he be brave, love, when he was still afraid to fall? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fear in Napoleon’s mind kept him cemented in place, the cold air not enough to root him from his spot on the sidewalk. In the midst of his indecision, Napoleon found his eyes wandering to the window of his apartment that he knew looked out onto the street. The blinds were carelessly thrown open, and Napoleon could just barely make out the figure who must have been leaning on the kitchen counter, facing into the room and not down at the street below. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was enough. Watching Illya - or just the shape of him, really - with his shoulders hunched and looking utterly alone was enough to wash away any doubt that Napoleon had left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Warming from that inexplicably feeling spreading through his bones, Napoleon took one step closer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Illya had died dozens of little deaths over the years: watching Napoleon close countless doors behind him, and everyday he waited with bated breath, waiting for the day that Napoleon would come home. Not just come home for the week, or the month, or even the year, but truly come home, ridding himself of the leash that the CIA kept so short. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was leaning up against the kitchen counter, one arm wrapped around himself while he grasped a mug of strong tea in his free hand, and he was hopelessly lost in thought. Despite all that he had said to Napoleon when he left the last time, Illya knew that he loved him. He loved him so deep in his bones that it felt like he had loved him for a thousand years, and Illya knew he could love Napoleon for a thousand more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More than anything, he hoped and prayed to a god that he didn’t really believe in, that Napoleon wasn’t afraid to come home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Napoleon made his way up the stairs, to his third floor apartment, heart thudding quickly, oh-so quickly against his chest. Despite his nerves, though, he’s sure that he was finally making the right decision. Finally coming home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stood in front of a lightly-worn and very familiar apartment door, the golden letters dull from weather. He brought up one bruised set of knuckles, and rapped on the door. This part was unfamiliar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time stood still, for a few moments, despite the fact that Napoleon heard Illya’s steps from the kitchen to the entry in real-time. The beating of his heart drummed a steady rhythm in his ears, and his hands clenched and unclenched in a way that reminded him startlingly of the man on the other side of the door. He was jolted back to reality when that door opened with a slight creak. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Napoleon was staring straight at a very weary-looking Russian spy, but to him, Illya had never been more beautiful than in this exact moment. In all the years that they had been together, known each other, even, Napoleon had never looked at him like this. Like this was home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could be brave, he thought, because he couldn’t let anything take away the person that was standing in front of him. Not Sanders or the CIA, not Waverly or UNCLE, not even Oleg and the entire might of Russia could take him from Illya. Not anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Every breath, every hour of his life, had come to this moment. To this day where he would come to the entrance to his apartment, look at Illya in his tired eyes and slouched frame in the doorway, and come home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Napoleon took one step closer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When Illya had opened the door, he hadn’t expected to be greeted by a very stunned-looking Napoleon, who simply stared at him with wide eyes, like it was the first time they had met all over again. The man who he had died a dozen small deaths for, who he had loved for a thousand years, standing on his doorstep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no fear in Napoleon’s eyes, only adoration, and it brought the smallest, most genuine smile to Illya’s lips, erasing some of that weariness he wore like armor. Time had finally brought Napoleon’s heart home to Illya.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Illya took one step closer, this time, his sock-clad feet toeing the edge of the doorway, and his eyes shone as he looked down at Napoleon. It was as if the worry had melted away from him, and he was just waiting for Napoleon to meet him in the middle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And meet him he did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One final step, and Napoleon was stretched up onto his tiptoes to throw his arms around Illya’s shoulders, any ounce of trepidation vanishing as soon as Illya wrapped his long arms around Napoleon’s back. Napoleon felt his feet leave the ground, toes barely brushing the floor as Illya straightened, and he knew that this was forever. This was his home, who he had been waiting for all of these years. It had just been right in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dam of emotion in Napoleon’s chest finally broke through; it felt as though he’d been barely holding it together since that last voicemail. “I feel like I’ve died every day, waiting for you,” he choked into Illya’s shoulder, the wool of his sweater catching Napoleon’s tears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Illya choked out a watery laugh himself, murmuring back, “Cowboy, don’t be afraid - I have loved you for thousand years, and all along I believed that you would find me. Your heart is finally here with me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Illya felt the nod into his shoulder, and he broke into a full grin with his face pressed into the top of Napoleon’s head. “I will love you for a thousand more, Napoleon.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time, it was a grin pressed deep into his shoulder, along with a muffled response: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A thousand more, Illya.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope y'all liked it - this was another one written between the hours of 11:30 pm and 3 am, as most of my stories tend to be. </p>
<p>This one also deviated a little bit more from the song than the last one - let me know how y'all enjoyed it! </p>
<p>It is also entirely un-betaed, so I apologize for any mistakes. Let me know if you see anything egregious, how you liked it, or if you have a song you'd really like to see in the future :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>